On March 3rd; New Orleans & Company, on behalf of the city of New Orleans, officially submitted its application to the UNESCO Creative Cities Network (UCCN) to become a designated City of Music following the United States State Department approval on February 28th.

New Orleans was one of two U.S. cities that were approved by the State Department to submit an application. 

Why is New Orleans the best city for this designation? 
  • In New Orleans, music is more than just an art form. It is a defining cultural asset, deeply integrated into daily life and community identity.  
  • Known as the birthplace of jazz, the city also fosters diverse genres such as blues, gospel, R&B, funk, brass band and bounce. New Orleans sustains one of the most vibrant live music scenes in the United States, hosting hundreds of festivals and thousands of performances annually.   
  • Engagement with UCCN opens doors for our culture bearers, festival managers, and city officials to participate in annual conferences & exchange programs. 
  • Engagement with UNESCO opens doors to give New Orleans a seat at the table for future UNESCO World Heritage Site designations & global events on culture and sustainable development. 
  • United Nations/UNESCO City of Music is an honor that could be displayed at festivals, ports of entry, venues, etc. It is a designation that would be shared by the city & its culture bearers. 
Advisory Board 

The Advisory Board consists of a diverse group of New Orleans musicians, hoteliers, music industry representatives, festival organizers and business leaders that have decades of experience in the city and industry.  

Each board member’s role in the application process is to promote the City’s application to become a UCCN City of Music through their own avenues. 

Board Members include: 
  • Jon Batiste (International Celebrity Musician) - Grammy Award Winner  
  • Reid Wick (Industry & Music Business) - The Recording Academy Associate Director 
  • Wendell Brunious (Local Musician & Non-profit) - 1st ever Musical Director for Preservation Hall 
  • Quint Davis (Festivals) - Jazz Fest Producer  
  • Cleveland Spears (Festivals) - Creator of the National Fried Chicken Festival 
  • Evan Holmes (Large Venues) - General Manager at Caesars Superdome, Smoothie King Center and LSED Properties   
  • David Bilbe (Hotels, Bourbon Street) - General Manager of the Royal Sonesta 
  • Emily Madero (Festivals) - President & CEO of French Quarter Festivals, Inc. 
  • Big Chief Shaka Zulu (Black Masking Indians, Congo Square) - New Orleans Black Masking Craftsman, Stilt Dancer, & Musician 
  • Joseph “Monk” Boudreaux (Black Masking Indians) - Oldest Living Mardi Gras Indian Chief, the Elder of the Elders  
  • Bruce Daigrepont (Cajun Musician, Francophone) - Leader of the Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band 
  • Curtis Doucette Jr. (Small Venue, Hotels, Preservation/Restoration) - CEO, Iris Development and Re-Developer of the Dew Drop Inn  
  • Shelly Waguespack (Bar & Restaurant) - President of Pat O’Brien’s 
  • Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes (NPS, Local Musician, Francophone) - Bandleader, Accordionist and Harmonica player for Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots 
  • Cory Howat (Benson Organization) - Executive Director of Catholic Community Foundation 
  • Derrick Tabb – Founder of Roots of Music  
  • Mia Borders - Musician 

More information about the application can be viewed here.